seduced by the sweet nothings they said to me. I’ve
liked several women for their good qualities, but there was
something wrong with each one that blotted her excellent qualities
and cancelled them out. But with you it’s different.
You’re perfect, without a rival in the world, made up of
the best qualities of every creature.

50

55

MIRANDA

I do
not know

One of my sex, no woman’s face remember—

Save, from my glass, mine own. Nor have I seen

More that I may call men than you, good friend,

And my dear father. How features are abroad

I am skill-less of, but, by my modesty,

The jewel in my dower, I would not wish

Any companion in the world but you,

Nor can imagination form a shape

Besides yourself to like of. But I prattle

Something too wildly, and my father’s precepts

I therein do forget.

MIRANDA

I’ve never known any woman or seen a woman’s
face—except my own in the mirror. And I’ve
never met any men besides you and my father. I have no idea what
people look like in other places, but I swear by my modesty, which I
value above everything else, that I’d never want any
companion in the world but you. I can’t even imagine one.
But listen to me chattering like crazy, and father always told me
not to.

60

65

FERDINAND

I am in my
condition

A prince, Miranda—I do think, a king;

I would, not so!—and would no more endure

This wooden slavery than to suffer

The flesh-fly blow my mouth. Hear my soul speak.

The very instant that I saw you did

My heart fly to your service, there resides

To make me slave to it, and for your sake

Am I this patient log-man.

FERDINAND

I’m a prince by birth, Miranda—maybe even a
king now; though I wish I weren’t—and normally
I wouldn’t put up with carrying these logs any more than
I’d let flies breed in my mouth. But I’ll tell
you something from my soul. The second I saw you, my heart rushed to
serve you and be your slave, so here I am now, a patient
log-man.

MIRANDA

Do you
love me?

MIRANDA

Do you love me?

FERDINAND

O heaven, O earth, bear witness to this sound

And crown what I profess with kind event

FERDINAND

Oh heaven, oh earth, witness what I’m about to say, and
reward me if I tell the truth! If I’m lying, then